The Other, Other Epilogue: Not Today
by Like.Wait.WHAT
Summary: "No." He said, voice hard "When do you ever give up?" he asked harshly. "You are Maximum Ride. Your wing-men, you best friend, the love of your life is now gone." He was right, when do I ever give up, I have to go after him...Read and Review! One-shot!


_A/N: So here is a one-shot…This one-shot was inspired, because I had read the summary to James Patterson's new Maximum Ride book 'Angel' And I was kind of mad. Don't get me wrong, I love James Patterson's books. But I really think the more he stretched out the Maximum Ride series the more he lost his touch. So I thought I could write a tiny one-shot, on what I wished happened at the end of 'Fang'. Please if you enjoy this, review, tell me what you think? Or tell me what you think of the new out coming book 'Angel' _

_Thank You!_

Disclamier: I don't own Maximum Ride.

xxxxxx

~The Other, _Other _Epilogue: Not Today~

The tough and fearless leader was so close to crumbling and fast, _fearless_; I was supposed to be the hardcore fighter, the one always there for her flock, to chase away all the horrible bad guys. But I would have never thought it would ever come to this. For once I had no clue as to what to do. The horrid letter was still gripped in my shaking hands, palms sweaty. The sinfully words were smudge in thick black ink from the tears, the dress I was wearing didn't feel as pretty as it did a second ago, and my once beating heart had shattered to tiny bitty pieces. How could he do this to me, to all of us?

"Max?" My hazel eyes sought out the soft voice, my vocal cords felt so tight, I was afraid if I tried to say anything, I would ball, so I opt to say nothing at all. Iggy looked at me with his clear blue eyes, hurt evident in them. A few fat tears caressed down his round pale cheeks, he had no intentions to retain the tears and the hurt. I feel it too, we all do. Without answering him I looked at the others, who were in the same state as Iggy, maybe even worse.

"Why don't you guys get ready for bed?" I told them in my strongest voice, it wavered slightly. I knew I was not fooling anyone, but to my huge relief, they complied.

The little kids shuffled out of the room, like zombies, shoulders hunched, without a sound. My heart broke just a bit more for them. It only left me and Iggy; carefully I refolded the letter, willing my hands to stop shaking. God this was so, so hard.

"What are you going to do?" Iggy asked me.

"Nothing," I said, avoiding his eyes.

"_Nothing?" _he asked, voice spectacle.

"Yes, nothing. It was his choice." I took a deep breath, my head was pounding, thumping against my skull, and vivid flashes of Fang ran through my head. But I couldn't do anything. Fang had made a choice to leave, and to him he had no idea the huge impact it has on all of us, he thought he was helping. "Sorry." I mutter, turning on bare foot to leave, before I could, Iggy's hand clasped over my wrist, stopping me with his strong hold.

"No." He said. His voice hard, absolutely no evidence of the usual laded back Iggy we were all used to, in his place was somebody else, the fighter. I slowly turn to look at him in utter shook, his jaw was clutched tightly, his lean back stiff as a steel rod, his blue eyes dark, raging a heated fire. His pale slim fingers were locked over my wrist. "When do you ever give up?" he asked harshly. I sucked in a big breath. "You are Maximum Ride. The fearless leader, and your wing-men, your best friend, the _love_ of your life is now gone. And you're not going to do anything about it?" His hand tightens around my wrist, not hurting but to make his point clear. "These kids have been through hell and back again, you're like a mom to them, and Fang is like a dad to them. You can't let him go that easily if you really loved him. Do it for you, for the kids."

"I do love him." I breathed, tears claiming a wet path down my cheeks. I _hate _crying.

"Prove it." He said.

Something just snapped. Fang had _promised _to never leave me again, and I believed him, putting my trust out there.

And Iggy was right, he was the love of my life, but more importantly he was my best friend, he meant so much to me, I can't just let him go, and if I truly did love him, I can't just let him off the hook that easily. I had to do something, anything.

"The kids," I said.

"Don't worry about them, I will care for them. Just bring his emo ass back."

My laugh was slightly strained, but I can always count on Iggy to tug out a laugh, even in the worst situations. "Thank you." I said, giving him a tight hug. I was so grateful to have him in my life.

Iggy embraced me, "no, thank you," he mutter in my ear. When he let go, he said "You better get going. It's been almost an hour since he left."

I nodded and rushed out of the room, bare foot, dress flying around my knees, my fingertips messing up my fancy hairdo. I threw myself in an empty bedroom, and grabbed the book bag on the floor, throwing in some clothes, on case I'm gone for longer than a day. I slipped on a pair of ratty sneakers, opening the window, about to take flight, when a voice startled me "Max?" I Whipped around.

Dylan stood in the door fame, his hair a messy mop on his head, his strong arms crossed over the button up color shirt.

"W-w-what are you doing here?" I asked.

Dylan gave me a confused look, ignoring my question. He asked "Where are you going?"

I looked over at the open window, the light breeze ruffling my blond hair, looking back at Dylan, my eye filled with tears "I'm going after Fang." When the words slipped out of my mouth, Dylan's eyes flashed angry.

"Why?" He said his voice cold and bitter. "You belong with me."

"No…" I said. "No I don't… I-Look Dylan, I love Fang."

"But I was made for you. I'm your other half."

I screamed in outraged. "Do you hear yourself?" I felt my gut twist painfully. "You can't be made for someone, that's not how life works. You don't even know me. You were never there. When Angel was stolen, or when I was _bleeding_ when I had a metal break down, when I had killed my brother, and suffocated with guilt. But Fang was. He was always there. My heart beats for him. You might have been made to be my 'other half' but you are _not _my soul mate."

Dylan opened and closed his mouth. His eyes confused and conflicted. My heart went out to him. I know how hard this was for him. "But-"

"No," I cut him off "I'm so sorry. I would love for you to have a place in our flock, be a part of the family. But you have to stop thinking we belong together. Dylan you have to stop using your head and listing to your own heart. You will be surprised at what you really find. I'm so sorry."

It was deathly quiet for a second as we both stared hard at each other. Dylan then nodded tightly, and said "I'm sorry too." He went to turn around, but paused, taking a gulp of breath air, "good luck." The words were strained, but I knew how hard that was for him, and I was really grateful. Once Dylan let go of the idea of us, he could find someone who really belong for him, not because some crazy white coats told him and programmed it in him, but out of true love.

"Thank you."

I flew through the open window, sailing high into the sky. The sky was darkening fast, the sun staring to set. Reds, oranges, and indigo's, making up a charming sight. My favorite time to fly has always been when the set is setting, it's a glorious sight on the ground, but up in the sky, there are no words.

Flying farther away from the safe house, I stared to think were Fang could of gone, it was about a hour and half ago or so, so he couldn't have gone too far. I just hope, he decided to rest for a bit, maybe to think of his next move. The farther I got the more worried I became. What if I don't find him, then what? I refused to go back home empty handed.

It wasn't that much later when white-slivery stars popped across the inky black sky, the half moon giving me a warm glow. I looked down and smiled sadly, thinking of Fang. The ocean below me was a murky green; I could smell it from here, salt and sweet, the times the flock and I took time off to go to the beach flashed brightly though my head, the laughing, beaming smiles, and just living. I had to find hm.

_The cliff…_ It was a breathy whispered, that skimmed over my head, my hair blew around my neck, my eyes went imposable wide. What…?

Then it came crashing down on me, the cliff, were we shared our first kiss, when I was a dork and ran away, like a chicken. I should have known. I spun around, and kicked it into high gear, heading towards the cliff, and Fang.

xxxxx

The cliffs ledge was shadowed in darkness, the moon overhead, kept reappearing, and disappearing behind thick clouds, giving everything an eerie feeling. I flew towards it keeping my eyes open, nothing so far. I landed softly on the rocky surface, and survey the place, biting my lip, what if I'm wrong? I can't think like that so I surmise that idea quickly, and took tiny steps toward the wide opening. He better be here.

"Max?" I stopped, half way to the opening. The voice was soft, but I would know that voice anywhere, and it came from behind me. I turned around. Fang was standing there. He had changed out of the suit, into more simple clothes, a black t-shirt, and dark wash jeans. It was so Fang, I could just cry.

"Fang," I whispered.

"What are you doing here? Did you get my letter?"

The words 'letter' set me off. I felt a rush of hot anger run through my body. I am so going to kill him! I ran towards him, and hit him in the chest, hard, he didn't even flinch. "THE LETTER!" I yelled. "How could you!"

"You do-"

"No! I can't believe you. A letter, do you have any idea how hard it was to come back to the safe house, without you there, and instead a letter, a letter that broke my heart, our hearts. What? Were you that much of a wimp to not be able to tell me to my face? It was so _hard _to watch the impact that letter had on those kids."

I stared hard at him, pushing back the stupid tears, I hate crying, and today I shed more tears then I have ever before, or wanted. Fang stared back too, his lips in a hard line, his dark eyes for once were not blank, but swivel with a lot of emotions, to many for me to keep up.

"I had to." He muttered.

I puffed out a breath. _Had to? _

Fang went on "I thought it was the best way. They were right we were too forced on each other, and then there's Dylan…"

I viciously shook my head, "no," If anything I was stubborn, and sooner or later I will press the fact that there is nothing between me and Dylan, until I made sure Fang won't ever forget. "Fang… I and Dylan don't belong together. Alright yeah, he might have been made to be 'my other half' but that's not the point, nothing in the world could change that fact that…I love you, only you."

Fang didn't say anything, so with a deep breath I went on. "And maybe you were right. We are forced on each other a bit too much, when so much is going on, but it was so new to us. But you can't just walk away, I need you, the kids need you."

Fang went to touch me, but quickly stuffed them back in his pockets. "I-I"

"Please come back." I know, the Maximum Ride was begging, but I could not care less if he comes home with me. "The kids need you, I need you. _When _I finally saved the world, I always imagined you by my side."

"I love you." He said softy.

And here comes the water works. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and buried my head in his chest, inhaling Fang. "Please."

"Okay." I felt his lips on my hair.

I sagged against his body in relief.

Standing here with Fang on the cliffs ledge where we shared our first kiss, I smiled.

I am so glad I'm not the type to give up, or I could off lost him.

And as Fang embraced me tightly I had a feeling he won't be going anywhere, not if I had anything to do with it.

xxxxxx

_What do you think? Review….? _


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